runabout
Americannoun
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a small, light automobile or other vehicle, usually with an open top; roadster.
-
a small pleasure motorboat.
-
a person who roves around from place to place or group to group.
noun
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a small car, esp one for use in a town
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a light aircraft
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a light motorboat
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a person who moves about constantly or busily
verb
Etymology
Origin of runabout
First recorded in 1540–50; noun use of verb phrase run about
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
An urban runabout that won’t break any speed records, but nor will it break the bank.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2024
The San Juans are lovely, but have you tried going south instead of north with your sailboat, runabout or kayak?
From Seattle Times • Sep. 6, 2017
But consumers gave a wan embrace to the Scion iQ, a tiny runabout aimed at urban dwellers.
From New York Times • Feb. 11, 2016
It’s probably the coolest two-wheeled runabout you can buy: it’s electric, looks unlike anything else on the market, and incorporates a host of legitimately unique features.
From The Verge • Jan. 5, 2015
The runabout driver steered the truck blindly through the streets, slowed by heavy traffic, trying to find someone to help Pollard.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
